Learning Mathematics online during Covid-19: Experiences of selected secondary school Mathematics students in Zimbabwe

Abstract

The implementation of social distancing regulation in response to the Covid-19 pandemic led to the temporary closure of schools across the world in 2020. Online learning became the game changer in all education systems globally. However, education in African countries was most affected due to their economic and technological backwardness. Zimbabwe was not spared. Online learning was met with mixed feelings by Zimbabwe’s secondary school Mathematics students. This article presents students’ experiences with online teaching and learning of secondary school Mathematics in Zimbabwe during lockdown periods. Data were collected using mixed methods technique. Qualitative data were collected through an open-ended questionnaire and quantitative data were collected through a closed questionnaire using the modified Likert Scale of SA- Strongly Agree, A- Agree, D- Disagree, and SD- Strongly Disagree. Results indicate that the majority of the learners were not fully guided to make sure that they were connected to online learning platforms. Teachers’ inexperiences in terms of online teaching led to challenges of tapping into affordances of technology to bridge learning gaps. Students faced mobile network and internet connectivity problems. Students indicated that there were a lot of distractions in home environments. There were learning gaps between students with necessary technological tools and their counterparts without the required tools. Lack of face-to-face feedback from peers affected students’ group learning during the learning of Mathematics online. It is recommended that African governments invest heavily on the education sector in order to improve the teaching of Maths and Science subjects